Want to get stronger but struggle to get to the gym? You’re not alone – fewer than 25% of UK women do the recommended amount of weekly exercise – and we all know the health risks attached to a sedentary lifestyle... cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia to name a few.

A new study has now mapped out the optimum amount of exercise we need to lower our risk of early death – and the result is unexpectedly achievable: just two hours a week of strength training. Researchers from Harvard University looked at data from 147,374 people who were tracked for 30 years and asked about their fitness routines. Participants who did between 90 and 120 minutes of strength training a week were found to be 13% less likely to die during the period in question.

It’s yet another reason to start working out. And for those of us who can’t find the time to get to a gym, GH fitness expert Kim Hawley has an alternative plan – one you can do at home, whenever you have a spare moment. ‘The good news is this study suggests you don’t need to spend hours in the weights room to reap the rewards of strength training – basic body weight moves can recruit a good deal of muscle fibres that might otherwise be lying dormant,’ she says.

Kim suggests habit-stacking strength exercises to your existing routines to keep the time commitment manageable. ‘This can transform your fitness and those small bursts of activity soon add up,’ says Kim. ‘When it comes to building strength, consistency matters most, so weaving exercise into habits you already have is an easy way to hit that two-hour weekly target and support a healthier life.’ Here are Kim’s four habit-stacking rules to get fit at home:

1. Follow the GH one-set rule

If the idea of a full workout feels daunting, try our one-set rule. Choose just one exercise and ‘habit-stack’ it to a task you do everyday. This could mean 10 squats while doing your teeth; bicep curls while waiting for the kettle to boil; practising as many press-ups as you can before your morning shower or taking the steps two at a time whenever you go upstairs. Simple, achievable and unavoidable!

2. The commercial break method

During every ad break, stand up and complete a short burst of exercises such as bodyweight squats to calf raise or wall sits. You’ll feel like a health guru just by watching an episode of Corrie!

3. Turn your everyday into mini workouts

Carry shopping in a basket rather than using a trolley, clean more vigorously, dig some flowerbeds. These movements can't replace a structured program but they will help maintain muscle strength and mobility which, in our ever more sedentary world, is essential.

4. Keep a pair of dumbbells in sight

Out of sight usually means out of mind. Leaving a set of dumbbells or a resistance band somewhere visible can act as a reminder of what you could be doing. Dumbbells by the kettle, resistance bands next to the shower, a kettlebell next to the TV all work! And if you attach it to an everyday activity, you’ll set yourself up for success.’

Stay consistent, and soon you’ll be doing 100-200 strength-training reps most days without ever scheduling a workout. Sound good?